Derrida: A Very Short Introduction

Simon Glendinning

Description

Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher, wrote such famed works as Writing and Difference, Speech and Phenomena, and On Grammatology, has made important contributions to both post-structuralism and post-modern philosophy, and indeed has challenged some of the unquestioned assumptions of our philosophical tradition. But he is most renowned--or condemned--for his critical technique known as "deconstruction." In this Very Short Introduction, Simon Glendinning explores both the difficulty and significance of the work of Derrida. He argues that Derrida's challenging ideas make a significant contribution to, and providing a powerful reading of, our philosophical heritage. Defending Derrida against many of the attacks from the analytical philosophical community, he attempts
to show why Derrida's work causes such extreme reactions. The author explains Derrida's distinctive mode of engagement with our philosophical tradition, and contends that this is not a merely negative thing. By exploring his most famous and influential texts, Glendinning shows how and why Derrida's work of deconstruction is inspired not by a "critical frenzy," but by a loving respect for philosophy.

Derrida: A Very Short Introduction

Simon Glendinning

Table of Contents

1. A picture of Derrida2. Misunderestimating Derrida3. Reading the logocentric heritage4. The rehabiliation of writing5. Law and justice6. Politics and friendship7. The ends of man8. Starting overReferencesFurther ReadingIndex

Author Information

Derrida: A Very Short Introduction

Simon Glendinning

Reviews and Awards

"Connects the man's thinking to the concerns of the general reader...it's very short, and certainly worth reading." -- The Statesman

"Glendinning's clarity and rigour, his commitment to careful reading, and his skilful mediation between Derrida's voluminous back-catalogue and the inexperienced reader will be sufficient to engage and stimulate new readers and new readings of Derrida's work."- Danielle Sands, Queen Mary, University of London; Philosophy in Review

Derrida: A Very Short Introduction

Simon Glendinning

From Our Blog

By Simon Glendinning
Two months before his death in October 2004, Jacques Derrida gave an interview to the French newspaper Le Monde which turned out to be his last. Although he refused to treat it as an occasion in which to give what he called Ã¢â¬Åa health bulletin,Ã¢â¬Â he acknowledged that he was seriously ill, and the discussion is overshadowed by that fact: there is a strong sense of someone taking stock, someone taking the chance to give a final word.